A Welcome Arrow Through The Heart
by The Blonde Midget
Summary: Mai stumbles in something she'd never expected...SetoJou, onesided MaiJou. Slight Lime, nothing graphic.


Hello, dear readers:D Have you missed me? Huh? Have you? HAVE YOU?!

…-cough- Err…ignore that…

Hey, look! I've written some puppyshipping again! Hope you will all enjoy this oneshot! Now, I have some more oneshots planned…but I don't know which one you'd want to read the most, so I'm gonna have a vote! Here are the three oneshot ideas to choose from;

1. Mokuba is going on a date! Will Seto take this calmly? …of course not! MokubaxSurprise! Some SetoJou. (romance/humour)

2. Jou wants to learn how to kiss…who will help him? SetoJou (romance/humour)

3. A terrible danger threatens the world of Yu-Gi-Oh…a Mary Sue! Some slight hints of lots of pairings. (parody/romance)

Those are the ideas! Now vote! Tell me in a review what you all would most want to see, and I'll try to finish it as soon as possible! (probably will take a while though, school starts in a week, so…)

Now! Onwards with this fic! It will be rather Mai-centered, and not much SetoJou fluff…but aw well. This is sort of a rant from me…I really don't like the JouMai pairing, due to many things…some, I will mention in this story. So yeah. If you really like Mai, or MaiJou, you probably shouldn't read this story. Just saying.

Moving on…Disclaimers!

Plot: Mai walks in on something she never had expected…SetoJou, onesided MaiJou.

Disclaimer: …well, if I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, Seto would be smothering Jou with kisses, not in a duel. (reference of episode 22. XD)

Pairings: SetoJou, _onesided _MaiJou…

Warnings: Well…slight OOC from Mai, I suppose…not really bashing, but I will portrait her kind of mean. Sorry. Also, there's a lime in the story…not graphic or anything, but it's the reason for the high rating. So, if you're sensitive, look out. And spoilers. Major spoilers.

Now then…have a nice read, I'll see you all in the endnotes!

**Normal POV**

It was a warm spring day, around four o'clock, that Mai Valentine, blonde bombshell and duellist extraordinaire, parked her car outside a worn-down apartment complex. In said apartment complex lived a boy she hadn't met for almost a year, and now longed to see.

"Katsuya Jounouchi…" Mai shot a flirtatious smile at her review mirror, making her purple eyes sparkle mischievously.

She had not forgotten the blond idiotic boy from Duelist Kingdom, that had stared at her cleavage like a thirteen years old boy. Actually, she had looked forward to see him for a while.

After all, she did need something to entertain herself with while being in Domino city for the new Battle City tournament. And Jou would be a good add to her long list of seduced victims. Of course it wouldn't be too serious; just a bit of fooling around before she left for some new adventure. No biggie.

In the depth of her heart, though, Mai knew that she did care very much for Jou, and that she wanted more than a fleeting relationship. That she wanted to stay for a long time, this time. Maybe even for a year…and when she left, she might bring Jou with her. They could play happy family, and live on some island in the tropics.

Giggling slightly at her own plan, Mai gave herself a quick lookover; short, tight skirt in a dark shade of purple? Check. Makeup? Check; not too much, but definitely not too little. Hair? Curly, and fluffy. Tight corset, pristine white to match her teeth? Check. Good cleavage? Definitely check. Jou had always been impressed by her feminine parts, and would be sure to drool at the mere sight of her.

Sighing happily, Mai stepped out of her car, making sure not to get stuck somewhere with her purple, calf high boots. (she had had a bad experience with that already. Stupid Pegasus, having a tournament on a stupid island full of stupid mud and tree roots)

With a confident, and rather sensual, stride, she reached the door of the building, opening it instantly. She quickly walked up the stairs, scrounging up her nose at the spots on them; Jou would so have to go live in her hotel later on.

Finally reaching the third floor, Mai turned to the second door to the left. On it was an old nameplate, saying 'Jounouchi'. It was old, yes, but definitely clean. She smiled; at least Jou cleaned the place.

Mai just reached her hand to knock, when a muffled sound was heard from inside. She rose on of her thin eyebrows confusedly. She could have sworn that sounded like a moan…

Shrugging it off, Mai rose her hand to the door handle. Why bother to knock anyway; it wasn't like Jou would be busy or anything…

Breaking into a charming smile, that she was sure would have Jou melting in seconds, she opened the door and walked in.

The smile fell from her face and shattered on the floor as her chin fell down in a way that, by no means, could be dignified, sexy or even cute.

Over in the small sofa, that could be seen clearly from the front door, laid Jou. And on top of him laid a certain tall brunet that Mai immediately recognized as Seto Kaiba. That wouldn't have been _such_ a big deal if it hadn't been for a few small details.

Like that Kaiba had one of his hands shoved down the front of Jou's loose, grey sweatpants.

Any words that Mai could have thought of saying as a greeting got stuck in her throat at the sight.

From the dishevelled look of the two boys, she could only guess that they had been at it for a long time. The deep blush on Jou's cheeks, and the way the brunet had him pressed down against the couch clearly pointed out just who that had started the whole thing, and who that was in charge.

Jou gave out a small, weak moan between kiss bruised lips as the brunet's hand moved about in his pants, and sucked harshly on his neck. Jou's thin hands were fisted in Seto's silk shirt, and his amber eyes were shut tightly in pure pleasure.

Painfully clear, Mai could see Kaiba smirk against Jou's throat, before he leaned up to whisper something into Jou's ear. Said thing made Jou moan louder, and bite his lip to keep himself silent. Even at the distance Mai was, she could hear Kaiba's satisfied chuckle, and see him nibble on Jou's ear.

That action made Jou's eyes fly open, and had his whole body trembling. He whimpered, and arched against the brunet, obviously trying to get the other to hurry up in his ministrations.

"S-Seto…" He gasped, clenching his eyes shut again, and lifting his hips when Kaiba suckled on the whole earlobe. "P-Please…Oh God!" A cry ripped from Jou's throat, and one of his hands flinched down to grab the arm that was pleasuring him in his pants.

"Hn? What is it, pup?" Mai was rather impressed by how calm Kaiba sounded, even when in such a, err…sticky situation.

"I…oh…naah…f-finish it, damn you!" Jou gasped, opening his eyes to stare up at the brunet.

Seto looked down at the blond underneath him, blue eyes glinting in a very dangerous and animalistic way. He rose one of his eyebrows at the blushing blond.

"You'll have to do _much_ better than _that_, Katsuya. A dog like you should be very…shall we say skilled, at begging." The smirk on Seto's lips, and the tone of his voice, was enough to make _anyone_ annoyed. Especially Jou, it seemed.

Jou groaned, and threw his head backwards. "Seto! You know I hate it when you do this…" A gasp, that quickly transformed into a painfully erotic moan, escaped Jou, and his fingers closed and opened on the arm that was halfway down his pants, making it obvious that Kaiba had just squeezed his manhood.

"Oh yes, you really seem to hate it, Jou." The sarcasm in Kaiba's voice was strong enough to turn over a mountain. "The way you're moaning really tells it all…" The brunet leaned down to the other's ear, and spoke softly, but loud enough for Mai to hear it. "…we both know you love it when I make you beg…"

"U-Uhnnn…" The blush on Jou's cheeks grew deeper at the way the whimper forced it's way out of his mouth. His body was trembling freely, visible for anyone (at least Seto and Mai) to see. "S…Seto…"

"Come on, pup…beg for me to finish you." Kaiba growled into his ear, a very possessive look in his eyes. "Tell me what you want…tell me how much you want me to take you!" The sentence was punctured by yet another squeeze, that had Jou in tremors once more.

"AH!" Jou screamed this time, and arched his body high. "Please! Seto, please! I…take me, I…please, let me cum! I…I need you so badly…" A sob, an actual _sob_, escaped Jou's throat, and he tried to rub himself against the brunet, searching for his release. "…_please!_"

Kaiba leaned down to kiss away a few tears that had escaped between Jou's eyelids. His actions were suddenly rather gentle, and loving. After having cleaned up every stray tear, Kaiba pressed their lips together for a lasting kiss, pulling away slowly to look deeply into Katsuya's amber eyes.

"Hn. Good puppy." Then he leaned down to whisper something softly into Jou's ear, something that Mai couldn't hear.

But said something must have been very nice, because Jou's eyes opened slowly, and a smile spread across his face. Not one of his go-lucky grins, but a very sweet and truly happy smile, making his amber eyes sparkle before they closed. He whispered something back, and a very faint smile flashed on Kaiba's lips.

It was when Kaiba started unbuttoning his pants that Mai finally found her voice.

"Wha…WHAT THE HELL?!" She screeched, so loudly that even the people renting the apartments in the basement had to hold their ears.

The reaction was immediate.

Jou's eyes flew open again, almost painfully wide, and his head flung so quickly to the side to stare at her that she could actually hear the tendons stretch in his neck. (that would probably hurt tomorrow, she thought faintly in the part of her mind that hadn't been destroyed by the hot boy on boy action.)

The blush on his face was so deep that Mai was sure that it would be permanent on his face. If it had been in another situation, she would have laughed.

"M-Mai?!" Jou shrieked, voice suddenly several vocals too high for a boy past puberty.

"Hn. You didn't even bother to knock?" Seto hadn't even pulled out his hand from Jou's pants. The blue eyes directed a glare at Mai, strong enough to set fire to the hairspray in her hair. Obviously, he wasn't very happy to be interrupted in mid-foreplay. (and neither was the authoress, for that matter…)

Mai ignored the brunet. She just kept staring at Jou, who seemed to be blushing deeper at seeing her stare at him. The blonde woman was desperately trying to find something to say, but her mind drew a complete blank. It was rather hard to think of something to say after finding your friend and crush, your supposedly _straight_ friend and crush, about to be fucked by Seto Kaiba, his arch rival.

But, finally, Mai actually managed to get her mind out of the gutter long enough to speak.

"Jou?! I…what the hell are you two doing?!" She pointed to Seto, to Jou and then back to Seto with a shaking finger.

"Isn't that rather obvious? We were about to have sex." Seto said bluntly, voice smooth and deep. How the hell did he remain so calm?! Jou was embarrassed out of his mind, and Mai was sure she'd need mental care for the rest of her life. Oh, why did she throw away that number to that psychiatrist?!

Because she slept with her husband. Right. Almost forgot that.

"Seto!" Jou finally seemed to have snapped out of his stupor. He clumsily pushed the brunet off of him, and ripped his hand out of his pants, blushing all the while. Seto immediately smirked, and licked one of his white, and slightly sticky, fingers slowly, not once breaking eye contact with Jou.

Mai almost fainted at that, and she could feel what little blood that still was in her head rush away, leaving her face pale.

Jou's reaction was the exact opposite; his cheeks flushed even more, and he made a small, undignified squeak. He grabbed Seto's wrist, and pulled his hand away from his mouth.

"D-Don't do that, baka!"

"Why? You want some?" Seto asked, a playful glint in his eyes.

That was it.

Mai's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she promptly fainted.

The next thing Mai knew, she was sitting comfortably in an armchair, with Jou frantically fanning her face with a newspaper. His cheeks were back to their normal, tanned colour.

When he saw her open her eyes, he let out a relieved sigh, and leaned backwards against the table behind him.

"Thank God…I thought you had died there for a second, Mai." The blond boy chuckled slightly. He was trembling.

Mai glanced around the room for a second, finding the brunet CEO of KaibaCorp was nowhere to be seen. "…where's Kaiba? Did he go home?" She did nothing to hide the hopeful tone in her voice.

Jou laughed nervously, and shook his head. "No, um…I sent him to the bathroom to wash his hands and, err, take care of his problem…" The blush was back, but much more faint.

Mai gave a shuddering sigh, and sat up straighter in the armchair. Then she turned her purple eyes to Jou, to give him a sharp glare. The anger, hurt and disgust she had felt when she entered the apartment came back with full force.

"No wonder you never called after I left last time. Too busy being Kaiba'slittle bitch, huh?" She snorted.

Inwardly, Mai was crying tears of blood over what she was saying; but her heart had just been crushed. Jou, who always had been there for her and in her heart, was _gay. _A boy who always had liked her, and who she was sure she'd get in a relationship with. _Her _Jou; together with another guy! And Kaiba, of all guys!

She had every right to be upset!

Jou flinched slightly, and stared at Mai for a moment. Then he bent his head down slightly, to escape her scorching glare. "…it's…it's not like that, I-"

Mai interrupted him. "How can you be _gay, _Jou?!" Her eyes flashed angrily. "You have always liked girls! Hell, you spent the half of Duellist Kingdom staring at my breasts!" Angrily, Mai made an affronted gesture to the mentioned body parts, as if asking him to apologize to them.

"Um…about that…" Jou's cheeks flared with a deep blush. "Well…I preferred guys then as well…but…I didn't want Honda or the other guys to know. So…I stared at you. I really tried to pretend to like you…not that I don't!" He quickly added, when Mai rose one eyebrow. "I like you, Mai! Just…not like that…"

Mai felt like she had just tried, and failed, to swallow a tennis ball. Her eyes were so wide that she thought they would pop out of her skull if given the chance.

"You…You used my breast as a cover-up for being gay?!" The blonde screeched, pointing down at the luscious pair. "A diversion? Was that all I was?!"

"No!" Jou quickly shook his head, amber eyes wide. "No, of course not! You're my friend, Mai, almost a sister to me. But…" Teeth nibbled on his, still kiss swollen, lower lip, as Jou's amber eyes flickered down to stare the floor. "…nothing more."

Mai closed her mouth and looked away. Her eyes shut tightly. Tears burned behind her eyelids, but she refused to let them out. There was no way that she would be that weak in front of another man. Not even Katsuya Jounouchi.

"…why Kaiba, then?" She whispered, slowly opening her eyes to look at Jou. "Of all people? Last thing I remember of him, he tried to kill you in the duel with Dartz. And he spent half of Battle City trying to get you thrown out of the tournament. When did that all change?"

A smile tugged on Jou's lips, a smile that had Mai's heart clenching painfully, because it was so happy. Of course, it wasn't that Jou was happy that hurt; only that it was the thought of Kaiba that caused his joy.

"Well…I don't know. It never changed, I guess. I…started to notice him in Duellist Kingdom. I mean, it's kinda hard to ignore someone who goes out of his way to insult you and throw you to the ground, right?" He looked up at Mai, amber eyes glinting slightly in a playful way she remembered clearly. It made her heart ache even worse.

"Right." Mai muttered, nodding for Jou to continue.

And he did. "You remember the Computer Game, thing? When we all got trapped in that game that Seto created?" Waiting for Mai to nod the affirmative, Jou continued. "Well…it was then I noticed that I felt different about him. Not…warm and fuzzy or anything…but I was really…worried about him. When Mokuba came to the Game Shop and told us what had happened, my heart almost stopped beating."

Jou had been _worried_ about Kaiba. All the way through that blasted game, when Mai had been positive that he had a crush on her…it was Kaiba all along that had filled up the other's mind.

It hurt. It really did.

Not noticing the flash of hurt passing through Mai's eyes, Jou continued. "Well, you know what happened there in the game…when we met Seto, well and very much alive, I thought I would die in relief." Amber eyes warmed. "Then he said I looked like an overgrown monkey. Yeah, way to kill a guys mood…"

And how Mai wished it had stayed like that.

"Anyway, after that, Battle City came up. A brand new tournament, and all done by Seto…and I wasn't even invited!" Jou frowned slightly. "Not that it matters now, I got to enter anyway…well, it was in Battle City that I really fell for him." A grin made it's way to Jou's lips, and he gave a short laugh. "That white coat must have done it!"

Mai forced herself to make a short laugh. She found no humour at all inside of her.

"Seriously though…in Battle City, I…I noticed that Seto was looking at me strangely. Not…Not in his usual cold and 'I'm-gonna-beat-you-so-bad-and-laugh-while-you-cry' way, no. He looked…well…" Jou shrugged. "_Interested_, I guess. I never thought he'd notice me like that, so I thought nothing of it." Another sweet smile, and another pain in Mai's chest. "Guess I should have, though…"

Why did he have to sound so happy? So _pleased?_ Didn't he understand how much it hurt? Well, she had asked…so she'd have to torture herself through the answer.

"After…after I duelled Malik, or Marik, I'm not sure which one of them anymore, and fell unconscious, Yugi told me that Seto had been worried about me, and Serenity said that he had gone to visit me in the hospital wing several times."

So had she. She had been worried to pieces when he was in that coma. She had visited more times than she could count. Hadn't anyone told him _that? _

"After everything was over, with the tournament and everything, Seto confronted me." Amber eyes shone in remembrance. "It wasn't exactly romantic or anything; he pulled me in behind the blimp, and said that…" A bright blush spread across Jou's cheeks. "that he really had a soft spot for puppies. Then…he kissed me. And…it just felt so _right. _It was then I knew I loved him."

It had never occurred to Mai how much words could hurt. In that moment, when Jou said the L-word, directed to Kaiba, her heart felt like it had been crushed in a million pieces. She had lost Jou…and would never get him back at this point. If it was something Jou was, it was true. If he said he loved someone, he meant it, and nothing nor no one could change his mind.

"…you…were together during the Dartz thing as well?" Mai asked quietly. She already knew the answer. But she needed to hear it. Why she kept torturing herself by asking questions like that, she'd never know.

Jou scratched the back of his neck, and glanced at her. Then he nodded, a blush tainting his cheeks once more. "Yeah…we started to get serious around that time."

"He tried to kill you. In the duel with Dartz." Mai hissed, eyes gaining a sharp edge along with her voice.

"Not…really…" Jou defended, voice weak. "He…he thought that killing us on the battle field would free our souls…"

"Oh, so that's what he said? Damn, that was convenient! Does he say that every time he threatens to kill or hurt people?" A tinge of red had started to grow in Mai's field of sight. The anger that she had suppressed while Jou had been talking was starting to act up again, along with her hurt and jealousy. She wanted Jou to understand how much it hurt, wanted his heart to hurt at least a fragment as much as her own did.

"Mai…" Jou started, a warning tone in his voice. Mai ignored it.

"He's using you, Jou!" She yelled, rising to point down at Jou where he still sat on the table. "Can't you see?! He's just using you, and when he's through playing with you, he will throw you away! Kaiba is like that, why can't you understand that?!"

"Damnit!" Jou rose too, glaring at Mai with a sort of furious anger that she had never seen before in his amber eyes. "I _love_ him, Mai! And Seto loves me! Why can't you understand _that?!_" The blond boy's body shook violently, and tears were gathering in the corners of his eyes. "…I LOVE HIM! Not you! Not ever!"

"_Why?!_" Mai screeched, desperation in her voice as she stared into Jou's deep, amber eyes. Her own were sparkling with hurt, and anger. "Why can't you love me, Jou?!"

"Because!-" A strange look passed Jou's eyes, and he bowed his head. "…you were never there long enough for me to love you, Mai…you always leave. You aren't…stable enough for me, Mai. I need…I need someone who's _there._ Not someone who only stays as long as it pleases her." He slowly looked up again. "…and Seto did all that. Is all that. Safe, always there, ready to hold me when I need it." Jou's eyes looked sadly at her. "You weren't."

Mai couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her whole body shook angrily, and she now glared hard enough to break something. "I was there all along, Jou! _I_ gave you my card at Duellist Kingdom. _I_ cried for you at Battle City, and sat by your bedside for _days! I_ sacrificed my soul after our duel when I went after Dartz!"

"Yeah. I know." Jou whispered. "But you never stayed, did you? After Duellist Kingdom, you just disappeared, without a word for goodbye. After Battle City, you just gave me a 'see ya', and drove off. After Dartz, you disappeared somewhere with Varon." A pained glint went through Jou's eyes. "You've always left me behind, Mai. I've always been second in your life."

Mai was speechless for a few seconds. Then she closed her eyes, and forced our a snort. "Geez, Jou. I never knew you were so emotionally needy. I almost pity Kaiba for having to put up with this. Do you whine like this on him as well? Oh wait, I know you do…when he's doing you up the ass!"

The words tasted so very bitter in Mai's mouth, that she wanted to throw up. But, Jou hurt her. So she had the right to hurt him back.

Jou stared at Mai, disbelief clear in his open, amber eyes. "…Mai…" He whispered, voice shaking. "I…I'm sorry…if I hurt you…"

"Hn." Mai flicked her head, making her blonde hair fly as she turned away. "You weren't worth the gas for travelling here, Jou. I'm leaving. Don't bother to call or anything. I never want to see you again, ever…" She threw a disgusted glance over her shoulder at the shivering boy. "…you little _fag._"

With that, Mai stomped out of the apartment, slamming the door shut behind her. Her boots clicked angrily against the stairs as she ran down them, and out in the bright spring sun. She threw the door to her car open, slid in, and pushed the gas-paddle down to fly down the street.

-----

Jou stared at the closed door, amber eyes wife in hurt and confusion.

Mai…Mai had just said she never wanted to see him again. Just because he was gay. And with Seto.

A sharp pain shot through his heart, and he hissed slightly, grasping his shirt over his heart. The pain wouldn't go away…why did it hurt so much?

Because Mai had been one of the closest friends Jou had ever had. It was true, she had always been there for him, whenever things got rough…but she hadn't been enough. He didn't love her…not like that. Not in the same crazy, passionate way he loved Seto. Not enough…

And just because of that, he would never see her again.

Tears from loss started flowing down Jou's cheeks, and he sobbed quietly, bowing his head.

A door opened behind him. He barely heard it.

"Hey, Katsuya, is Mai…Katsuya?" Quick footsteps walked up behind him, and then someone sat down next to him. A gentle hand lifted his chin up, and Jou found himself drowning in blue eyes.

Seto looked at him, concern and worry clear in his blue eyes. "Katsuya? Are you okay? What happened? Why…are you crying?"

Jou almost smiled at how uncertain Seto sounded, and felt his heart warm at the concern in his face. Then, another sharp arrow of pain shot through his heart. Jou found that he was shaking, almost as if he was standing in a snowstorm.

With a choked sob, Jou leaned his head against Seto's chest, and gripped his shirt so tightly that his fingers turned white.

"Just…Just hold me, okay?" He whispered, closing his eyes tightly.

Warm arms wrapped around his body, and Jou found himself being held in Seto's strong, protective embrace. Taking deep breaths of his lover's warm, cinnamon scent, Jou suddenly found himself thinking that everything would be alright. That was what Seto did to him; always made everything feel right and okay, and made him feel safe. Seto was his harbour in a raging storm.

Jou desperately hoped that Mai would find someone like that as well. Someone who could hold her like Seto held him, and someone who would care for her with all of their heart.

Because, no matter how much Mai had just hurt him, Jou would always hope for her best. That was what friends did, and Mai was one of the best friends Jou had ever had.

Jou gave one last, shaking sob, and snuggled into Seto's chest. His tears had made the shirt wet.

"I love you, Seto." He whispered softly, shivering slightly as one of Seto's warm hands caressed the back of his neck.

A deep sigh, that Jou felt more than heard, escaped Seto, and Jou knew that he was smiling. A gentle kiss was pressed on the top of his head, and the arms around him tightened.

"I love you too, Katsuya."

And that was all Jou needed to hear to smile as well.

-----

After a few miles, Mai noticed something warm running down her cheeks. Absently, she reached up to dry it away, and check what it was.

It was tears.

Mai noticed her eyes grow blurry, and she quickly stopped the car on a small parking lot. Then she leaned down over the steering wheel, leaning her head against her arms. Soon, her entire body started shaking, and sobs wrecked through her body, so hard and close together so she almost couldn't breath.

"Jou…" She sobbed, banging her head gently against her arms. "Jou…Jou…Jou…" She continued that mantra, until her voice turned hoarse, and her throat was raw. Then she drew a shuddering breath, and leaned backwards in her seat. Black mascara flooded down her cheeks in small, black streams.

A sharp ache. That was all that was left of her heart. At least, that was how she felt. Naturally, her heart was still there…she could still feel it beating, pain shooting from it with every pounding beat. She wanted it to stop. It hurt too much.

A few shuddering breaths escaped her, and she almost started crying again.

A flash of a smiling Jou passed her eyes. Amber eyes were shining, and he was laughing. Not at her, never. With her. Always with her.

Then it changed into the furious-looking Jou, with anger shining in his amber eyes. His voice echoed loudly in her head, as if her mind was taunting her.

"_I LOVE HIM! Not you! Not ever!" _

Then, it changed yet again. To a shivering, hurt Jou who was staring at her with tear-filled eyes.

_"Mai…I…I'm sorry…"_

Another few tears escaped Mai's eyes as she closed them, biting her lip slightly.

"Jou…" She whispered, wincing slightly as her heart cringed in pain. "…I'm the one who should be sorry, baka…"

With gentle fingers, she reached up to her eyes to dry away the remains of her tears. She looked at them, glinting on her fingertips; pure and wet

Maybe, one day…she could be happy for him. Maybe there would come a day that she could look upon him and Kaiba together, and actually smile. But…not now. Maybe not even in many years from now. But, one day, she would be happy for him, and that he had found love.

Smiling, a sad and broken smile, Mai rose her fingertips to her lips and kissed them gently. She swore, that when the day that she could smile again, with true joy…when she was smiling for Jou, and his happiness…when she could actually say, without wincing and when she truly meant it, that he had made the right choice and that she was happy for him…then she would return. Then she would return, and say how sorry she was. But not until then.

In the meantime…

Mai picked up a pair of sunglasses, and put them swiftly over her eyes so no one would later notice that she had cried. Then she pulled out of the parking lot, and out on the road.

…she would live her life. Without regrets, and to the fullest. Until she found her smile again, and her heart had mended. She would live her life.

As Mai Valentine, blonde bombshell and duellist extraordinaire.

**The End**

…so? How was it? Good, I hope!

Well, how am I supposed to know what you thought of this story? Hm…-ponders-

Hey, I've got an idea! Leave me a review! You know; push the little button on the bottom of the page, and type in what you thought of the story. Then click 'submit review', and then you're done! Try it out!

Now...this story was sort of a rant, as I mentioned, but also something of a personal experience...I know how Mai felt, about most things I wrote. I've had crushes on two of my friends, both girls, and I've listened to them several times when they talk about their boyfriends and crushes...I've never exploded on them, though, I've always said I'm happy for them...an of course, I _am_ happy for them! But...well, hearing about them being happy with someone else...that hurts. Alot. So, this story actually meant alot for me to write, because I could relate very well to Mai when I wrote...just a little note to all of you! You should just ignore it, though. Just a silly rant from me.

So yeah. And please tell me what story you would like to read of the three alternatives I gave you, okay? I aim to please my readers and reviewers, as I hope you all know!

Anyway. See ya!

-The Blonde Midget


End file.
